Bengaluru, Karnataka, India – Business Wire India • Beneficiaries from six aspirational districts will have convenient access to tools and resources to help build digital and financial literacy, cyber safety and coding skills • Solar-powered vans, developed within Dell Technologies’ Solar Community Hub portfolio, will travel to different locations in the districts to provide PC technology and 4G connectivity to community members • Dell aims to positively impact 2 million people with this program by March 2023 Dell Technologies today announced the launch of its new digital inclusion program in India to improve standards of living and support more employment opportunities for youth and women in six aspirational districts. Developed as part of its Solar Community Hubs portfolio, six solar-powered vans equipped with PC technology, 4G connectivity and access to digital services will be deployed to underserved communities. The solar-powered vans will serve six communities identified as aspirational districts, including: Yadgir (Karnataka), Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Ramanathapuram (Tamil Nadu), Agartala (Tripura), Haridwar (Uttarakhand) and Kalahandi (Odisha). These districts are identified by the government of India as those with poor socio-economic indicators. The goal of this program is to positively impact 2 million people by March 2023 through digital inclusion opportunities. Dell Technologies’ executives Chuck Whitten, co-chief operating officer and Alok Ohrie, president & managing director for India, hosted the inauguration ceremony at Karnataka Public School in Jeevan Beema Nagar, Bengaluru. “The potential of technology and the digital economy can only be fully realized when a sizable percentage of our population is supported with digital inclusion opportunities. Dell in India has pursued this vision, which is consistent with our government priorities. Our partnership with the Common Services Centers scheme allows us to turn our vision into reality,” said Ohrie. Dell and the Common Service Centers Scheme (CSC)1 are working together to address the digital divide in communities by providing greater access to basic digital needs. The solar-powered vans address common digital needs, including devices, broadband, digital literacy and critical skills for the digital economy. The program aims to provide digital tools and resources to empower youth and women with primary technical skills training, entrepreneurship support, education, career guidance, and revenue-generating services to support job creation and financial sustainability. Learning Links Foundation will provide on-the-ground support for the vans, which are equipped with self-paced digital and financial literacy, cyber safety and coding learning content. The educational content is designed to empower the communities through access to digital knowledge and skills, while developing safe online habits in a connected world. Communities will be equipped with creative, problem-solving and analytical skills. “At Learning Links Foundation, we are committed to supporting digital inclusion and innovation as an important pillar for sustained human improvement. We are extremely proud of this partnership with Dell Technologies and the Solar Community Hub program. Together, we are bridging the digital divide by bringing technology to the doorstep of rural communities and supporting our country’s digital India mission.” said Nuriya Ansari, President, Learning Links Foundation. The vans will also serve as e-Government service centers and introduce communities to Digital India initiatives. Through in-person learning, the curriculum will provide students with a digital certificate from CSC upon completion of the course. About Solar Community Hubs As the importance of technology in our lives continues to rise, addressing the digital divide is becoming more critical. At Dell Technologies, we believe technology should be an equalizer allowing everyone, regardless of socioeconomic background, to have access to the same future opportunities. This is why we are committed to driving digital inclusion. As part of this commitment, Solar Communities Hubs offer solar-powered internet access, connecting community members to the digital world, while offering additional services to benefit the community they serve. About Dell Technologies Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) helps organizations and individuals build their digital future and transform how they work, live and play. The company provides customers with the industry’s broadest and most innovative technology and services portfolio for the data era. Copyright © 2022 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell Technologies, Dell, EMC and Dell EMC aretrademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners. [1] Common Service Centers Scheme (CSC) is a Digital India program under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) To View the Image, Click on the Link Below: Left to Right: Archana Sahay, Regional Giving Manager, Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ), Dell Technologies, Alok Ohrie, President & Managing Director, India, Dell Technologies, Chuck Whitten, Co-Chief Operating Officer, Dell Technologies and Nuriya Ansari, President, Learning Links Foundation (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR